"7eventy 5ive. Here’s the rules. First, and foremost, always, and I repeat always dial star 67 before making a call. If you don’t, that will allow the weirdo/asshole on the other end of the line to call your dumb ass back. You have seventy-five seconds, that’s one minute and fifteen seconds to completely trick the person on the other end of the line into believing that what you are pitching is absolutely real. If they hang up, you lose. If they laugh you lose. Or if they’re simply not buying the B.S. you’re pitching, you lose."

Dead Tone (also listed as 7eventy 5ive) begins with a group of kids making prank calls while their parents are having a party downstairs. All is fine until they call the wrong person, and he tracks them to their house. Carnage ensues as the parents are brutally slaughtered in front of their eyes.

 

Jump ahead ten years to the prestigious University of Dreyskill, where the semester is finishing up and a group of students known as The Crew, Karina (Jud Tylor – That 70’s Show), Marcus (Brian Hooks – Eve), Roxy (Cherie Johnson – Family Matters), Shawn (German Legarreta – Spin), Kareem (Antwon Tanner – One Tree Hill), Scott (Wil Horne – The Sandlot), and Jody (Aimee Garcia – The George Lopez Show) have gotten invited to rich kid Brandon’s’ (Jonathan Chase – Gamer) exclusive, invite only, end of semester party.

While this is happening, Detective John Criton (Rutger Hauer – Blade Runner) realizes that the adults being murdered are the children of the murdered parents from ten years prior, and the only two left are attending the University of Dreyskill. No one realized it before because the children had been adopted.

Meanwhile, our group of partiers have arrived at Brandon’s’ party and Marcus has the great idea of playing 7eventy 5ive and its all fun and games until one of the pranked manages to contact them and finds out where the party is. Cue screaming, buckets of blood, chrome axe, and surprise ending.
 

This film has been released under the Flavor Flav’s Nite Tales imprint, and he makes a brief introduction to the movie like the Crypt Keeper. But don’t let that scare you away from the movie, it’s not too bad. Not that there isn’t some plot glitches, but the twists make up for the flaws. The children are never named, and then as adults, the two in college are not immediately identified, so you don’t know who to root for. That’s what makes this a good movie; the things that appear to be oversights and flaws are actually plot devices that are very clever.
 

Special Features are limited to a Behind the Scenes Featurette.
 

Dead Tone is a quirky little movie that will appeal to those looking for an intelligent twist on theme, decent effects, and Flavor Flav. For me the flaws are a minor distraction and do not detract from the enjoyment of this film for me, but for others the flaws and the acting will be a point of contention. This movie is not suggested for younger viewers for sexual situations and language. Dead Tone isn’t for everyone, but it’s for me.
 

ComicsOnline gives Dead Tone 3 prank calls out of 5.
 

Buy Dead Tone on DVD at Amazon.com.
 

Keep ComicsOnline.com at the top of your favorites for more reviews, news, and contests.